The anointing is significant because Jesus Himself called it a good work done for Him, and Scripture ties it directly to His burial.
In Matthew 26, the disciples grumbled that the costly ointment could have been sold and given to the poor. Jesus stopped them and said the woman had done a good work upon Him. The record then explains that she poured the ointment on His body for His burial, and Jesus promised her act would be remembered wherever the gospel is preached. Les Feldick highlights the incident to show how religious thinking can miss what Christ values.
Matthew 26:6-13 — This is the account where Jesus interprets the woman's anointing as a good work done for Himself and in view of His burial.
Matthew 26 tells us that while Jesus was in Bethany, a woman came to Him with an alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it on His head. The disciples saw it and said, "To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor." Jesus answered, "Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always." He then added, "For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial." And He promised, "Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her."
Les sets the scene in Bethany in the final days before the crucifixion, when Jesus would go into Jerusalem each day and return to Bethany at night. When the woman entered with her box of precious ointment and anointed Jesus' head, the disciples reacted as religious people often do: "What a waste. It could have been cashed in and given to the poor." Jesus' response, "Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me," shows that the woman's act was not waste but a good work done directly for Christ. Les also teaches that anointing a body with herbs and spices was the customary practice in Israel, and that is why Mary Magdalene went to the tomb on Sunday morning—not to see a risen Christ, but to anoint His body as was the custom.
The disciples had indignation and said the ointment was a waste because it could have been sold for much and given to the poor. Les comments that this is exactly what "religious people" sound like. Jesus rebuked them, telling them not to trouble the woman because she had done a good work upon Him.
Jesus' words identify the anointing as a good work performed for Him personally. Scripture then gives the reasoning: "In that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial." The significance is that the woman's seemingly wasteful act was actually a direct service to Christ and was tied to the one thing the disciples had not yet understood—His coming death and burial.
Les repeatedly points out that it was the custom to anoint a deceased body with herbs and spices, sometimes even after burial, and that tombs were caves rather than underground graves. Mary Magdalene went to the sepulcher on the first day of the week to anoint the body of Christ as was the custom. She was not expecting Him to be alive, and when the tomb was empty she was completely shaken. Les uses this to show that none of them had any understanding that Jesus would rise from the dead.
The Bethany Anointing
Les recounts the woman anointing Jesus' head, the disciples' protest, and Jesus calling her act a good work upon Him.
Burial Anointing Custom
Les explains that Mary came to the tomb on Sunday morning to anoint Jesus' body "as was the custom," showing the normal practice in Israel.
Anointing with Herbs and Spices
Les describes how bodies were anointed with herbs and spices and placed in cave tombs, providing background for the burial anointing custom.
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And through her tear-filled eyes, she realizes that she won't have to find somebody to roll the stone away. It's already open. But as she makes her approach to the body and was going to anoint the ointments and so forth, it wasn't there. The tomb was empty. Then verse 12, and as she looked about, she saw two angels.
The Disciples Had No Expectation of Resurrection
Les points out that the disciples' absence from the tomb proves they had no idea Jesus would rise; Mary went only to anoint a dead body.
No Comprehension of Death and Resurrection
Les stresses that even after three years with Jesus, they did not comprehend His death, burial, or resurrection, and Mary Magdalene's anointing mission confirms it.
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And as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulcher, and sees two angels in white sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Now I always have to comment to my classes. See all these things were so commonplace in Israel.
Matthew 26:8: But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
The disciples' reaction sets up Jesus' explanation of the anointing's true meaning.
Matthew 26:9: For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
Their complaint shows they viewed the ointment only in terms of money and charity.
Matthew 26:10: When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Jesus directly calls the woman's act a good work done for Him.
Matthew 26:11: For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Jesus says the poor remain a constant need, but His time with them is short.
Matthew 26:12: For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
This is the specific significance: the anointing was done in view of His burial.
Matthew 26:13: Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Jesus guarantees the story will be remembered wherever the gospel is preached.
In the Matthew 26 account, the woman is not named. Les refers to her simply as "this lady." The provided transcripts do not identify her with any of the other women in the Gospel accounts.
Scripture states that in pouring the ointment on His body, she did it for His burial. The anointing of a body with spices and perfume was the customary preparation for burial in Israel, a custom Les discusses when describing the women at the empty tomb.
They said the ointment could have been sold for much and given to the poor. Les comments that this kind of reaction sounds like religious people, but Jesus overruled them and called the act a good work upon Him.
No. Les emphasizes that they had no understanding of His death and resurrection despite what He had told them. If they had understood, they would have been waiting at the tomb instead of going to anoint a dead body.
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